3:9 Law of the Jungle pt 2: Dempsey and Makepeace
by haveunotthought
Summary: After surviving a trap on their lives Dempsey and Makepeace find themselves coping with the consequences and for Dempsey images of the past haunt him. Makepeace however has a choice to make.
1. Chapter 1

_This takes place after Mantrap, series 3 episode 9_

_Sammy Powell was masterminding a series of diamond heists. Dempsey and Makepeace had got close to solving the crime but during a raid a colleague (Billy) had been killed. Most of the episode is about Powell setting up Dempsey and Makepeace so they can be taken out by the Walsh Brothers and Des Johnson under the guise of a bank raid. Running parallel is the story of Powell's daughter getting married, at the end Dempsey and Makepeace crash the wedding to arrest Powell._

It was a triumphalistic group gathered in the pub, with Powel and both Walsh brothers charged and in cells waiting for court on Monday the celebrations had started with pre meal drinks as soon as the Bramcote had opened for evening trade.

The diamond traders association had come up trumps with a cash reward which had been spent on an Indian meal and now at the bar of a near by pub. Spikings had left as they made their way from the restaurant to the pub. Watson and Dave had set up the shots and the window corner of the pub at present contained a rowdy rabble of SI 10 officers. As they raced to knock back vodka shots the barman decided to enquire if the would be requiring a taxi

"Oh don't worry about us – we're police officers" Harry made her way to the bar and leant across and slurred in his face. Hell he thought, the one thing worse than a drunk crowd was drunk police officers. She put down £20 just give us two bottles of vodka

"Are you sure love?"

"Look today we nailed two armed robbers and the brains behind the jewel thefts – I'm sure. He passed the bottles and prayed closing time would come quickly tonight.

Harry and James climbed out of the taxi; they had bought a bottle of champagne to take back and celebrate their successful ambush of the Walsh brothers and that they were both still alive. Neither could remember whose idea it was but it still seemed good. Harry opened the door on her third attempt too get the key in the lock and found the champagne glasses whilst Dempsey had opened the bottle. As the cork bounced on the ceiling Harry giggled "oops" Dempsey poured the over flowing bubbly into the glasses and they chinked glasses. Harry waved her arm towards the sofa and Dempsey sat down. She collapsed next to him and splashed champagne from her glass onto his shirt "oops"

"Well we did it"

"Danny Walsh – in jail"

"Mickey Walsh – in jail"

Harry drank the champagne and thought a moment "Sammy Powell's another scum bag who serves a pretty decent champagne"

Dempsey looked at Harry "Pity we ruined the wedding"

"Well Sammy Powell ruined more than a wedding for a lot of people"

"Who do think is more culpable Sammy for paying or the Walsh brothers for doing?" reflected Makepeace

"They're all scum. Low life that should be banged up"

"At least the tax payer won't have to pay for Des Johnson"

"I wonder who the photographer was."

Harry turned sharply; Dempsey had jumped right back out of her drunken philosophical debate to somewhere she found inexplicable.

"To get our photo" Dempsey clarified. He stood and wandered across to get the champagne and poured them each a second glass. He held up his glass "A toast 'to us'" he said and Harry looked up at him and caught his eyes.

"The best in the business" she added. She stood to join him and staggered a little nearly falling into him. "How much have we drunk?" she suddenly asked

"Not all this bottle yet"

They stood facing each other. Neither actually knew where this was going but both could feel the sexual tension rising as Harry swayed. Their pulses started to race, Harry tilted her head slightly to the right and Dempsey did likewise. He opened his mouth, she bit her lip and then they panicked yet again; both drank their champagne, pretending that was why their lips had parted. "Now we can finish it" Harry slurred as she took the bottle out of Dempsey's hand and poured the remaining contents into the flutes. Dempsey sat back on the sofa and patted the space next to him. Harry smiled "Oh no lieutenant – I'm going to bed and you're not invited"

It was nearer mid day when Harry woke. She was lying on top of her bed, still fully clothed. Her mouth was dry, her head throbbing and the sunshine an unwelcome torture that forced her to close her eyes as soon as she tried to open them. She had a vague recollection of coming home, Dempsey was there and out of curiosity she made her way downstairs. She looked across the room to the sofa for an arm hanging over the top. He wasn't there and she was forced to walk into the room. She found Dempsey on the floor with two cushions over his head. She left him and went into the kitchen and boiled the kettle. She was sat at the table drinking black coffee and swallowing paracetamol when Dempsey appeared.

"I thought you were still sleeping it off"

"No I was hiding the light out with those cushions"

She made another mug of coffee and passed the bottle of tablets. He failed to negotiate the child safety cap and Harry took them back before they were flung across the kitchen. She passed him two.

"Boy that was quite a night"

"You and me?" she asked once again trying to square the thoughts that had started to buzz as she sat with her mug cradled in her hands, safe in the knowledge that nothing had happened but with recollections about a conversation to do with 'us'

"We're the best"

"The best"

"Yeh the best team out there! We're good" he grinned "you and me partner; we'll clean up this town" He hoped she realised what he meant, it was just that his head was hurting too much to explain, at least that's how he excused himself.

She sipped her coffee; they were the words she was expecting, just not the ones she found herself hoping for. She could see Simone's point – he was comfortable with her – she just didn't see that anything else followed. Obviously nothing did from Dempsey's point of view. The throbbing in her head consumed her attention again and she walked over to the cupboard and took out some muesli. She took down two bowls, some yoghurt from the fridge and placed everything on the kitchen table.

Dempsey felt at ease even though he was harbouring a hangover from hell, this was almost what he wanted – he smiled but declined the offer of breakfast saying he was going to work his hangover out at the gym. "You wanna meet up later?" he asked

"I don't want to do anything too heavy"

"So what about meeting at that pub by the Thames in Richmond, grabbing a bit to eat and then taking in a movie – tell you what – you can choose the film."

"Huh, you know I'll have to choose one you'll like cos I cant have you fidgeting and wandering off to buy more popcorn if choose something only I'll like"

"I keep telling you princess hold my hand and tie me down."

Harry noted the mixed signals yet again but she wasn't in any mind to try and unravel them. She looked at her watch, she need to sort some laundry, do some shopping, the sun was shining outside; her head was mixed with hangover, confusion and indecision.

Dempsey was still waiting for her reply and although his head was tortured his eyes were now resting contentedly on a picture of hope. She looked rough, her natural beauty breaking through even so but even more crucial he was here, with her, sharing their rough awakening together.

"Save that table outside where you can see the river, a glass of white wine and a chicken salad" - she had decided in the affirmative

"Are you intending to be late Lady Harriet?" he grinned

"A woman's privilege" she smiled back at him

He gulped the rest of his coffee and stood. The quick movement hurt his head and he just stood for a moment then with a natural sort of reflex he bent down and kissed Harry's cheek "See you later Honey" he said as he performed the act.

Harry sat frozen to her chair as she heard the front door shut; it hadn't registered with Dempsey at all but Harry was suddenly back in married life. She shook her head as an image of Dempsey and her ex morphed into one and she was forced to acknowledge that she missed sharing her life with someone. Robert had always been a planner and although towards the end his demands to know what and where they would be wore her down she had enjoyed sitting together on a Saturday morning deciding what the weekend would hold. When Robert left he would likewise kiss her cheek and right now she could smell his aftershave and hear his voice "Don't be late darling". 'Darling' she thought – so very Robert – a term of endearment that was supposed to convey intimacy but was so very correct and the same term he used on acquaintances as well. Robert she had called 'dearest' he had been so very special to her once and she remembered running up to her father and showing him her engagement ring. But Harry couldn't keep the happy memories separate from the frustrated ones, or those separate from the hurtful. She touched her cheek where James had just kissed it and Roberts admonishment 'don't be late' came back to annoy her. Angry at him even now she picked up a teaspoon and threw it across the kitchen; the noise of the spoon hitting the floor snapped her back to the present. She retrieved it and placing it in the kitchen sink she wandered upstairs to run a bath and smiled – she secretly liked the term 'honey'. She wondered what was on at the cinema and hoped to god that her head was clear by then.


	2. Chapter 2

Makepeace actually got to the pub first; when Dempsey walked through he saw her sitting with a glass of white wine in her hand, a bottle of Budweiser next to her and he grinned.

He'd spent a good hour on a punishing routine of weights and running at the gym and what hangover he hadn't worked out he had sweated out in the sauna. He'd emptied his mind of anything and feeling refreshed towards the end of his sauna session he just sat and listened to a couple of guys planning their night on the town. He found himself strangely content, he was quite happy now to spend his time with Harry. She was funny and fun, sexy, smelt gorgeous, looked great and he loved her in his arms. Any opportunity to wrap an arm around her he took and she always seemed to neatly pull into him so he decided to assume she knew what he meant because sure to god he still didn't know how to go about telling her! It reflected the same situation with asking her out tonight.

"Hey you're here before me"

She smiled back loving the view of the sexy guy with the infectious grin walking towards her. In his hands were a glass of white wine and a Bud! He sat next to her and looked in the same direction as her out onto the river.

"So what do we have here sergeant?" he asked with a tease

"A couple holding hands walking along the river bank watching those two canoeists racing each other." She paused but he gave no response, and she continued to describe and open up her dreams "A guy exercising his dog, a woman pretending to read watching him. I think he knows it because he doesn't move on, he throws that stick to the left then right for the dog. Parents strolling with their kid swinging in between, sort of joining them and separating them at the same time"

James listened and smiled but his eyes were on Harry, suddenly she felt them and she jolted "What do you see?" she asked. James wanted to say that he saw the woman that made him feel at home in London, the one made life good and safe, the one he wanted to live with and be with and love for ever but he couldn't say any of that – it wouldn't come out of his mouth. He looked across the pub garden and the riverside walk "a squirrel and a duck" he said.

She turned in disbelief then spoke "The squirrel's gone already" she reflected.

"Yeh looks kinda cute and then jumps off and performs all sorts of leaps and acrobats and then sits still and watches life going on below him; whilst the duck is a beautiful white and looks all serene on the water with her legs paddling like mad under the surface."

She looked at him and wished she had the faintest of inklings of what he was going on about.

They were interrupted by the waitress arriving with the food Dempsey had ordered. Harry accepted her meal, the sea bass a favourite of hers. As they ate Harry changed the conversation back to the previous day.

"Were you really scared?" she asked aware he'd never admitted that before

"Were you?" he turned it back to her for safety

"A bit, no back up, Billy shot the day before"

"I always am, a bit: no fear – no edge Harry. You gotta be on the edge else you won't sense the danger" for the first time he felt able to say something he felt to Harry.

"And Billy?" Harry's question was wide open because she actually wasn't sure where she was going or what she meant.

"It wasn't Billy's fault"

"Was it ours?"

"It was Sammy Powell's"

"But we weren't prepared"

"You might be a cub scout but I ain't and I'm not taking the ultimate blame for Sammy Powell, he's the one doing time for Billy's death not you and me Harry, we're free" Neither of them felt free, both felt the blame but the conversation was closed

Dempsey put down his fork and picked up the Evening Standard and turned the back few pages and found the cinema listings "ummph"

Harry couldn't quite interpret so she took the paper out of his hand and glanced down the listings "I suppose its Platoon or Star Trek IV but please don't say Star Trek"

"He scrunched his mouth "It's supposed to be good"

"I don't go much on pointy Vulcan ears"

"We could do the theatre instead"

"No I'm too tired, I might fall asleep"

"And you won't in a movie"

"It wouldn't matter as much"

An hour later Dempsey contemplated suggesting they went home instead or even watched the Disney film but instead he walked over to the ticket queue for Platoon.

"You want popcorn?"

"We've just eaten"

"So"

"So no thank you Dempsey" she paused "but don't mind me – you go ahead"

Dempsey thought a second time and decided that it wouldn't be much fun. Harry noticed that she was one of the very few females going in. She followed Dempsey as he chose some seats near the back; both secretly considered it a good idea in case they closed their eyes but neither mentioned anything.

As they watched an advanced trailer for RoboCop they relaxed and laughed at the far fetched images in front of them. "Shall we bring Spikings to see that?"

"I wouldn't, he'll only use the American stuff to parallel it with you and I really don't think I could stand all his sardonic comments for the next year.

"Me? I ain't like that"

"A lot of people think you are. Hey I'm sure we can tease Fry instead"

"You know Sergeant you've got a mean streak running through you"


	3. Chapter 3

They watched the action start in Vietnam. As the shooting and shouting built up Harry closed her eyes, she really had had enough of shooting in the past three days. She blocked the noise and fell asleep until her head jerking woke her.

Dempsey wanted to follow her lead but the images on the screen started to mix with the recall in his mind. Part of him wanted to leave the auditorium immediately and the other held him fast into his seat waiting for more. He was back there. He could smell Vietnam; he could hear his friends call his name.

Harry jerked awake for a third time and looked back at the screen trying to pick up the story line again but she wasn't interested, not today. She looked at Dempsey half tempted to ask him if he wanted to go home early but he was leaning forward, transfixed and she looked back at the screen to see what was grabbing his total attention. She didn't enjoy the film but every time she had glanced at Dempsey he hadn't moved and not wanting to break his enthrallment she bided her time with a little regret. After too long the credits rolled and Harry touched Dempsey as she stood, grabbing his had to pull him up so they could make a quick get away. She felt the clammy cold sweat on his hands and touched his forehead "Dempsey" she whispered urgently "are you alright?"

"I guess so, I mean I'm still alive" he noted her quizzical expression "I was out there Harry, I walked the dark tunnels, the sweltering jungle; I shot, I killed but I came back alive."

Suddenly Harry realised she understood his reluctance to see the film. She held his hand "Come on, let's go home" she said. James was so grateful to feel her hand holding on to his.

James remained silent as they walked to the car, still grateful for Harry's hand and to have her beside him. Harry had no idea what to say or what James' inclination would be to do next, she prayed for inspiration or for him to say something before they reached the car but neither happened.

He opened the car door for her then came and sat next to her in the drivers seat; he didn't turn the key. "Shall I drive?" Harry asked gently

"That's why I became a cop; to do some good, same as Taylor said: To teach to others what we know, and to try with what's left of our lives to find a goodness and a meaning to this life." He hit the steering wheel "And then I discover that NYPD is no different to Vietnam . There are good guys like Grodin and bad guys like Barnes"

"You mean Barnes and Coltrane are the same?"

"The pits, shit scum. Everyday in New York there were forces at work trying to turn you, and the people of New York never got justice cos the scum like Coltrane meant the force was fighting it self." He turned to Harry and asked "Did you hear that guy at the end 'we fought ourselves. The enemy was in us' Damn New York and damn Vietnam there was no escape." He looked back out at the stars "There were cops like O'Grady who were the good guys, they still fought the scum on the streets but they did it fair. Like you and me Harry" he turned and looked at her; she caught his eye "How long were you there for?" she asked quietly

"Eighteen months"

"Elias Grodin – he was a bit like you Dempsey" Harry observed

"At least he saw the futility of war, one of the rare ones out there – he had a respect for life" Harry had also meant the wrestling with inner demons, hey even the Marijuana – but she kept those thoughts to herself. Dempsey was more like Elias than he'd ever admit to she concluded.

"Tell you one other thing" Dempsey said searching the dark sky Grodin was right about the stars too: there's no right or wrong in them. They're just there."

That just sat quietly looking at the few stars that showed in the London sky until Dempsey spoke again "Hell is the impossibility of reason. That's what that place was like – hell"

"And did your platoon fall into two halves?" Harry asked

"Well not so much even halves, but yeh. Mostly there were a lot of screwed up guys fighting to stay alive." Harry kept quiet mainly, if not totally, because she didn't know what to say but it meant eventually James would open up some more. He named his Sergeants and who was like whom and then laughed as he named some lower officers who were his mates that had survived with him. He seemed to relax, and the tension in the car lowered.

Were there any with names of their girlfriends on their helmets like that Johnny Depp, now he's a guy I could look at all day.

Dempsey turned a little taken aback at such an admission from Harry, it made him laugh at the present though "Sergeant you've got me to look at all day" he pointed out with the makings of mock hurt

"You're not a dishy up and coming Hollywood star"

"But I'm here" he was looking at her now still stunned she had said she'd found any actor sexy "and I'm available sergeant, any time you want me" he added with a wink and started the car. "Let's go home"

Harry leaned back in the seat "Umm, if you drop me off I think I'll have a nice hot bath and a good nights sleep"

Harry lay back in her deep bath and sighed, her mind wasn't at all settled. William had phoned late and invited her out to dinner and she couldn't work out why she felt a sickening pit in her stomach as she accepted. Her disquiet centred around another flutter in her stomach two days ago as Dempsey's arm had stayed around her shoulder, as they had walked like a couple in love along the street. Life would be so much easier she thought if Dempsey reciprocated her feelings.

Dempsey opened another bottle of whisky – he knew the ghosts would be back to turn his dreams into nightmares. He searched his LPs until he found Aretha Franklin he read the track list and placed the needle near the centre of the record and he heard her voice _all I'm asking for is a little respect_ and he sat reliving all the horrors he thought he'd buried.

Harry persuaded herself that it was only dinner and being William she could guarantee it would only be dinner, Yasmina and Clara certainly had the measure of him judging by her experience at the theatre last week. She had enjoyed his attentions though, she just wished he was a little more physical – Dempsey wasn't even dating her but he was far more….. she tussled for the right word, …far more of what she wanted, damn he was exactly what she wanted.

She loved hers and James' touching and holding of each other; but it was, she convinced herself, that it was always just part of undercover roles – he would do anything if it would make a good police outcome. That was why she had to make this William thing work - unless of course James really did care, she could still feel him holding her around her waist, pulling her into him when he had said 'for us'. As she tried to sleep she was clutching at that tiny fragile straw in a hope that he had feelings like hers. She turned the light out in an attempt to switch her mind off and closed her eyes.

An hour later she was in the jungle holding a M16, surrounded by 20 Walsh brothers firing and killing them; then she felt an arm wrapped around her shoulder and she could smell hotdogs in Vietnam and she knew that it made no sense. The platoon ran up to her with bottles of champagne popping and she shot at them and then in the middle of the clearing she was making love to Dempsey when Sammy Powell dressed as a US Sergeant came and killed them both.

Harry sat up with a jerk and opened her eyes, she took a deep breath – it was only a dream. She lay back down but she couldn't bring herself to close her eyes. My god, she knew that if she was having a disturbed night across London Dempsey would be worse. She went downstairs to make a cup of tea, found the track on a classical record she wanted and as she listened to Adagio for strings she contemplated the last few days.

She felt disconcerted and her second dilemma reappeared in her thoughts. She tried to persuade herself it was because she was exhausted but it wasn't a convincing argument. She knew what it was, but there was no way she would acknowledge that Dempsey's admission of being a little scared himself had rocked her stability.

Always her MO was that she would say 'No', tow the party line, he would say 'Yes' and she would follow - every time. She relied on that pattern. She had been nervous about the Walsh brothers without back up and she had expected him to not care about back up; to cope and to tough it out and force her to do like wise. She always outwardly disparaged his roughshod techniques etc but inwardly they proved to be the rock she launched her actions from.

She took her tea back up to bed and sat sipping it wondering again and still hoping why Dempsey had asked the photographer to take the photo. She smiled – he'd have a field day if he knew she had dreamed of sex with him. Now as she finished her tea her recall was of Dempsey's cold clammy hand not wanting, even frighten, to let go of hers and as she thought of the film she knew unwittingly she had seen something of what made Dempsey Dempsey. She curled back under the bed clothes "Try and get some sleep James" she whispered.

James got no satisfying sleep. Every time he closed his eyes he felt the heat and humidity of Vietnam . The bed sheets were wet with sweat. He got up and fetched the bottle of whisky, putting by his bedside. Spikings, Chas and Harry were in Vietnam . Guys from his platoon were in the NYPD and a guy named Shaw Taylor was in Spikings place but Taylor was like Barnes the bad guy. He swigged back the last of the bottle, the dawn chorus quietened as the sun rose properly and he buried his head into a pillow but then he reached over and grabbed the pillows on the other side of the bed "O god Harry" he moaned as he wrapped his arms round them and finally slept the next twenty four hours

She knew there was no point in trying to contact him on Sunday but on Monday morning when he walked into the office Harry placed a mug of strong black coffee down on his desk in front of him "We go on Lieutenant" she said kindly but firmly and he knew that she knew he'd been on another bender, but alone this time

He contemplated her face "It's the way the whole thing works, people like Billy get wasted, people like Powell just go on making up the rules any way they want. So what do we do?" he asked

"We go on Lieutenant" Makepeace repeated "Together"

"Together" he replied


	4. Chapter 4

Harry bit the chicken ball in half carefully ensuring the chopsticks would firmly hold the portion she left behind. Dempsey dipped the remaining half back in the sweet and sour sauce and as Harry shook her head, refusing the other half he ate it himself.

This was as near a perfect evening as he could get. Sharing a chinese with Harry and watching his favourite movie of all time.

"'There any of those prawns left?"

They were sat on the floor, with the foil cartons on the coffee table, leaning back against the sofa which Harry was determined to protect from spillage. She had concurred with Dempsey that the best way to enjoy the takeaway was to eat it in front of the TV watching his well played video of 'On the Waterfront'. Now half way through both she picked up one of the large prawns sitting in their oyster sauce with her chopsticks and held it in mid air. He leaned across towards her and as he moved in she placed it neatly in his mouth.

"That's so good" he murmured as he ate

"There's more"

"If you feed me"

Harry smiled and happily complied. After three more Dempsey sat back "no more, this is one of the best bits of the film" He turned his full attention to Brando and with no intention of eating any more herself Harry lifted herself off the floor and sat on the settee.

She watched the film with cursory attention and watched Dempsey with more whilst she contemplated her life. This was what she wanted, what she really enjoyed – her dream – well all but; the downside being that Dempsey seemed to see her as nothing but his best friend, someone he could come round and cheer up when she was down.

William: well he wasn't worth thinking about. The girls had been right when they described him as a cold wet fish. She had enjoyed his interest in her and her opinions but tonight he had ruined his chance. He had invited her to dinner at the Connaught. When she had accepted she had explained that she was glad to be going out on the night of Billy's funeral – she would need something to occupy her mind. Then he had rang to say he couldn't make it without any real explanation other than 'anyway if she'd been to a funeral in the afternoon he thought it inappropriate for to be dining in town that night' 'not quite protocol' had been his other phrase. She wondered what he was frightened of, she wasn't going to break down in tears or anything dramatic, she just rather not be alone to dwell on things.

She had stayed that Sunday night of the enactment weekend as he'd invited her out to dinner and now as she and James had shared the chinese she found herself mad at William in retrospect. William had raved about his desert so she had asked him for a taste of his cherry sorbet. Expecting him to use his long handled spoon provided to offer her a taster she leant forward so he could feed the mouthful to her. Instead he had reluctantly placed a spoonful on the side if her plate which she had tasted, enthused and offered some of hers in return, holding her spoonful of pudding forward as she spoke. He had pushed her hand sideways hissing that he wasn't a baby and would she kindly stop embarrassing him.

Dempsey had left Harry with her distant thoughts and piled his plate up again. Now she watched him watch his film: Johnny Friendly was talking to Charlie "look at that label on the bottle of whiskey it keeps changing direction." He pointed to the film as he ate.

"You've watched this too often James"

"And…. And at the end, the ship at the dock changes from a freighter to a cruise ship and back -you wait, you'll see"

She laughed. He finished eating and leant back against the sofa. Harry leant forward and massaged his shoulders "Thank you for tonight" she said. She had contemplated going to String fellows and seeing who was there when Dempsey had rung to say that the chief had put them both on a late. 'Now you can enjoy your night out princess' he had forced himself to say with a cheery voice.

She had merely replied 'fat chance I've been cancelled' and twenty minuets later he'd been on her doorstep with video in one hand, chinese in the other, mad at the thoughtlessness of people and one man in particular.

When she'd watched this film with James the first time she'd contemplated how there were similarities between themselves and Terry and Edie. She speculated as to whether if James had forced himself on her more forcefully she may have capitulated like Edie. Terry was brash around Edie and once Harry had considered accusing Dempsey of lacking any "sentiment or romance or human kindness," but now she knew he had all those qualities within him.

As Dempsey felt her hands circle his shoulders and back he contemplated his success, and he felt sure she was getting the message of his interest, he just hoped all this feeding and touching was her reciprocating his feelings. He decided it best not to rush things, Harry was actually quite proper he knew.

Dempsey cleared the food away, as he did so he pointed out yet another continuity gaff with Terry's jacket zipper. He came back with a second bottle of wine and sat on the settee with Harry. As the bit with the brothers in the taxi came on screen he quoted verbatim 'You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it. It was you, Charley.'

Her cousins words 'throw yourself at him' suddenly filled Harry's mind. She cursed them - suddenly she felt self conscious and totally unable to move. Dempsey leant back and stretched his arm along the sofa leaving himself open for her to move into him but as much as she willed herself she couldn't - she had frozen. On top of that she was really beginning to feel so tired, the food, the wine, the emotion of the day all had their soporific effect. Dempsey noticed her heavy eyes and moved up next to her so now she didn't have to make the move; he gathered her onto his chest and she dozed instantly. He sat there watching his video wondering if like Brando and Eva Marie Harry might grow to love him; Terry's actions were becoming motivated by Edie, and Dempsey knew that it was Harry who gave him meaning in his life. She had become his inspiration. Whilst she slept he fingered her hair and looked at her face intensely. He could feel her rise and fall against him as she breathed and he thought he was in heaven.

Harry was dreaming, in her dream she could feel her hair being played with, her neck being kissed and in her dream she opened her eyes and looked up at James. A smile played across her as she slept and she squeaked in her sleep. James watched Edie and Terry dance he missed the next few minutes of the film as he was transported back to times he and Harry had danced together.

Dempsey thought of the words he wanted to say to her 'No one needs you more that I need you' and inside his head they sounded so genuine, he tried to mouth the same words to her but even like that his lips wouldn't move so he went back to telling her how so very beautiful he found her, how much he cared for her, how he loved her laugh, her smile, how he loved her – all inside his head where it worked. The film finished at some point but he missed it entirely his attention consumed by the woman in his arms. He genuinely thought it plain to see that they were so in love, well he was anyway. He loved times like tonight when they were together. He knew that he needed her there with him from tonight until the end of time

Eventually Harry stirred "bed time princess" he said. She sat up and felt a little dazed and confused but then Dempsey stood, turned off the TV and video "I'll get the spare quilt" he said "you go up and I'll see you in the morning sometime – and remember we can have a lie in" He let her go to bed then had a shower before turning in for the night.


	5. Chapter 5

The door bell rang but there was no move to answer it from inside. It rang again but the ringing didn't conjure the response required. A dark haired gent, around 30, modest build stood outside wondering what to do next. He looked at the drive way, there were two cars parked as well as his own so he decided to ring again.

Harry called out from shower "for gods sake answer the door"

Dempsey lazing back under the quilt on the sofa threw the cover off and answered the door in his boxers.

William DeKindersley automatically started to step in, then looked at Dempsey in total shock and asked "Err you are?"

"Jim Dempsey and you?"

"I don't think it matters any more" William tersely replied and made to go away but Dempsey pushed on "Hey you must have come for a reason! Come in" he invited and continued to chatter banal offerings "Harry's taking a shower but she'll be down she's a lot quicker in a shower than a bath, but that ain't really saying she'll be quick."

He looked at the gentleman who hadn't really taken any extra step inwards. He opened his arms and directed him towards the kitchen. "I'll make us coffee, what did you say your name was?"

"You're not a relation?" William still didn't give his name

"Me no, I work with Harry" Dempsey was beginning to get frustrated, after all he was trying to be friendly

"Just work?" the guy asked him as he took just one step in

"Yeh. Just work" now he was cross and wondered what this guy's problem was

"Well excuse me for asking but why are you not dressed?"

Frustrated his sarcasm wove into his reply "Oh I came over last night, then it got late and we'd drunk a few bottles and a few cocktails; some jerk stood Harry up"

William was offended and defensive "Excuse me I'm the person who you're calling a jerk, which I am most definitely not, and I came over to see if she was alright, not that is any of your damn business"

"Well don't worry we had good night" Dempsey thought it was definitely his business and now he was beginning to shout.

Harry could hear voices so with a towel wrapped round her hair she pulled a robe over her wet body, cursed as she tripped over the still damp towel Dempsey had left on the floor yet again and appeared at the top of her stairs to see William walking out.

She ran down calling after him and he turned to look at her, the silk now clinging to the wet shape of her body. He determinedly moved his eyes off her breasts where they had involuntarily rested and looked at her "I'm not that sort of person Harriet, and I didn't think you were, but may be the rumours about you mixing with the wrong crowd – Damian Fuller – comes to mind are true."

"You're right I'm not that sort of person and James is…"

"…Far too familiar with you" William continued "What the hell will people think – him standing in your door way as bold as brass in his fancy underpants and then you revealing yourself like a common wet t-shirt model"

Harry was not impressed by the lecture she was being delivered "I was in the shower, I heard raised voices." She emphasised both of the 'I's

William shook his head in disbelief, she wasn't even going to say sorry "Regretfully Lady Harriet I couldn't risk my name with yours". He made to go but was overtaken by James coming out, tucking his shirt in and running down the steps, saying nothing, his jealousy totally frustrated.

At the sight of two men walking away from her Harry tried to call out but whilst her head whispered give William his chance her heart yelled James.

"Dempsey" was the word that finally escaped her vocal cords

"I'll see you in the office" he called back without bothering to turn around

"Do you want some breakfast?" she called out "seems I have the morning spare."

Her words filled the chasm between her and the two men, Dempsey stopped full hard in his tracks and William turned the ignition in his car.

Dempsey looked down to hide the grin that just escaped his heart and rode his face, when he had reigned it in, the Bentley drove off and he walked back up the steps.

"What does he mean fancy underpants? They ain't lace"

"I think he's very traditional, and I'm guessing he wears Y fronts but don't ask me Dempsey because I'm not that sort of person and I don't know"

They walked through to the kitchen as they talked

"There you go disappointing me again Sergeant", he couldn't keep his eyes off the form of her breasts wrapped in silk and she could feel his gaze.

"Now then do you think you could at least make some coffee and toast?"

"I thought I could watch you and enjoy he view" Dempsey suggested, his confidence sky high

"I invited you to share breakfast, that's all"

"Well you're the one who dressed like that" he pointed out

"And you're the one who answered my door in a state of undress!"

"At your request – remember"

The silence hung as they waited to see who would make the next move

"So who was he?" Dempsey asked, deciding to side step any follow through

"William DeKindersley the guy who had the medieval weekend the other week"

"You dating him?" he asked in the only way he could - with his back to her

"He tried" she still hadn't moved as she watched Dempsey work in her kitchen and enjoyed all that it could (but didn't) imply

"And?"

"I guess I'm not his type" she surmised

Dempsey had filled the coffee maker, put in the toast and turned back around "Are you going to get dressed or stand there tempting me all morning cos I have to tell you Harry I'm only human and I can't restrain my self much longer."

He walked over to her in a playful attempt to grab her

She laughed "I'm not that sort of woman Dempsey, I just told you", but she didn't move and that allowed him to get closer. Then she panicked but rather like a rabbit trapped in car headlights fear froze her to the spot.

Her heat beat rocketed as he grabbed hold of the tie that held her robe; as the tie pulled undone the clinging wetness still held the halves of her robe against her body. The movement released her from her paralysis and she turned and ran upstairs. He laughed, and put the cafetière and toast in the centre of the kitchen table and took a slice and started to munch his way through. He rather suspected Harry might take a few minutes to re compose herself.

As he sat there he dreamed of what might have just happened. He could imagine the weight of her breast cupped in his hand, his thumb caressing the erect nipple he had just been admiring and their kissing getting deeper. Dreaming he surmised was probably all he would ever do at this rate, she was obviously still not interested in him; his mind lost the image of her body and filled with muses about what he would do if his love remained unrequited. Right now he wasn't ready to give up hope, she had just chosen his company over some toffy nosed William DeKindersley.

As Harry dried herself she tried to work out what she would have done if her robe had fallen open. She had a sneaky suspicion (actually she knew for a fact) that she would have stood there and let him enjoy the view, and then what would she have done? She could have passed some comment about him being one of the girls and taken the robe off, and flung it over her shoulder as she turn and left the room. She laughed out loud at the idea, it was perfect. But she knew that she'd rather he came up to her, caressed her body, kissed her lips and they would have started to make love. Now as she did her bra up and put on her blouse she knew once again that Dempsey was a good friend who was basically one big tease, destined never to satisfy her – but even so he was a hell of lot better than any of these pathetic William DeKindersley types who seemed to be her only other option.

Harry came back down sooner than Dempsey has guessed. She looked at the nearly empty plate of toast

"I'll do some more" Dempsey volunteered

Harry picked up the last slice and after she took a bite and ate it she spoke without thinking "And if you ever consider living here on a permanent basis Dempsey you will need to learn to pick up towels from the bathroom floor!"

Dempsey stopped tearing the toast with his teeth, put the slice back on his plate, picked up his coffee, took a sip and placed the cup back down again; all the time holding eye contact. "Let me think that one over Sergeant" he finally said


	6. Chapter 6

Post script

Two days later

Harry turned off her TV, took her mug which had been full of creamy hot chocolate back out to the kitchen. She straightened her pyjamas she was wearing and re tied her robe. The door bell rang three times urgently – she smiled and anticipated it being Dempsey; she was expecting no one and he was the only person she could think would call at this time of night without even considering if she was still up.

Yasmina stood there, dressed up to the nines and grinning all over.

"Mina" Harry sounded as surprised as she felt "You've not had your car stolen again?"

"What?" she wondered for a moment where Harry was coming from then remembered "No. no this is far more urgent"

Harry tried to imagine what could be more urgent, Mina seemed ecstatic so it couldn't be bad "well you'd better come in" she suggested.

Yasmina produced a bottle of champagne from behind her back "actually it's already open" she giggled "but I just had to get in a taxi and get here as soon as I heard"

"Heard what" Harry was seriously intrigued

"That you dumped that boring tedious mind-numbing dull William DeKindersley"

Harry was stunned "You came over here because you heard that?"

"'T' I care about you, we grew up together"

"Well it's not true"

Yasmina looked crest fallen "Well Clara said she'd had dinner last night at his family home and when she'd enquired after you to William he'd described you as having been contaminated by the people you work with and the work that you do." She watched Harry's face, she didn't want to upset her and suddenly feared she should have been much more cautious in her words but Harry appeared to be smirking "Clara said that William announced to the whole table that he thought it unwise for anyone to associate their family name with Winfield anymore."

Now Harry was incensed "That bloody man has no bloody right to infer anything or defame my name"

"Whoa, I'm sorry 'T' I shouldn't have told you that bit, I was just so pleased"

"What that I was insulted and slandered"

"Oh for god's sake NO, that you'd dumped the boring self adulating snob" she tried to read Harry but since she couldn't work out if she'd offended her or not she just stood there in the hallway.

Harry capitulated, her and Yasmina had had so many discussions about boys and then, as they hit university, about the men in their lives. It had stopped when she had married Robert and only really come back to life in the past two weeks when DeKindersley had come on the scene. She suspected some hidden history, somehow Yasmina could nail William. As much as the hidden history intrigued her more so did Clara's account so she invited Yasmina to sit whilst she fetched two glasses for the champagne.

"So tell me William's version" she invited Yasmina as they sat with full glasses

"That you were at a funeral of a colleague the day before and William had suggested it would be appropriate for you to spend the evening reflecting on things and so he had called around in the morning out of concern for you"

"He cancelled dinner at The Connaught" Harry interjected

"Well you know William, no display in public of any sort emotion; he would have been petrified you'd show him up"

"I wouldn't have, I told him I'd just appreciate some company to stop me dwelling on things" Harry was angry at DeKindersley again

"I think he was dumfounded when another guy answered your front door at 8.00 in the morning" Yasmina was wide eyed.

Harry guessed that was as much as William would have said; his sense of proprietary restraining his account, especially as it could reflect back badly on him in some unknown way. Now she felt like a sixteen year old back in her dorm with one of her best friends giggling about boys. "Well to be entirely accurate William stood on my doorstep all dressed up in his three piece suit, cuff links showing (looking very dapper if I'm honest) and James is standing in front him, having just got out from the duvet wearing nothing but his black boxers and his hair a dishevelled mess"

Yasmina couldn't believe here ears, she sat up straight looked into Harry's eyes, saw them alight with fun. "You're telling the truth aren't you?" she still questioned "Why didn't you answer the door?"

"I was taking a shower"

"So how comes you saw them standing there"

"Well their voices were rising, William was getting agitated and I could see fireworks coming so I threw this robe over me, nearly tripped over bloody Dempsey's towel on the floor yet again, and ran down stairs."

That was too much information for Yasmina to attended to with one reply. She stored the fact that bloody Dempsey seemed to make a habit of leaving wet towels on her bathroom floor and addressed the wet body and silk robe. "'T' tell me you dried yourself – a bit?"

Harry grinned conspiratorially and Yasmina winked back "'T' silk wrapped round a wet body clings"

"Well to be honest I didn't really think, I just pulled the robe and ran down stairs"

"Now I can picture two very happy men Lady Harriet" she paused a second "bloody hell 'T' – I guess their eyes were fixed"

"Probably"

"You didn't notice?"

"Well ok, James loved it; William told me I was like a cheap wet t-shirt model"

"He's looked then. … I bet he buys The Sun in secret"

"Well it's as much of me as he's ever going to see"

"And your American?" Yasmina couldn't care two pence about William now "What duvet did he crawl out of?"

"He slept just where you are sitting Mina"

"Ah but 'T' where did you sleep?"

"In my bed Mina, on my own, like I always do" Harry replied firmly. She thoroughly enjoyed describing Williams discomfort but she had no intention of sharing anything else with Yasmina.

"Bloody hell Harry" Yasmina grinned widely "– no wonder William ran." Then she looked at the clock "Any chance I can crash on you sofa?"

"Sure" A moment later Harry appeared with duvet and fresh cover and fresh pillow case "I'll just change it for you" she stated. "Chuck me the pillow, I'll do that" Yasmina offered. As she caught the pillow she smelt the aftershave "Is this him?" she asked. Harry came over and sniffed "Aramis" Harry declared suddenly snatching back the smile that had started to spread over her face.

"Have you ever taken this pillow to bed with you Harry?" Yasmina giggled

Harry blushed, it had crossed her mind once although she had never done so

"Take him to bed with you next time 'T' I'm telling you"

"He's not interested, I'm telling you"

Yasmina turned serious again "Harriet it's a wild jungle out there, loads of women will trying to trap him, catch him, whatever"

The jungle reference threw Harry back two weeks, she thought for a moment "We're the best of friends, making sure the jungle is safe, and everybody's where they should be" she explained "Bagheera and Baloo, that's us"

End


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